§ MR. KENNEDY (Kildare, N.)I beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether he is aware that under the late Government the Local Government Board in Ireland frequently overruled the decisions of Nationalist Boards of Guardians, even when those decisions were within the law; and whether he will direct the Local Government Board now to adopt the same course in dealing with the decision of the Edenderry Board of Guardians in the case of the labourer Macnamara?
§ THE CHIEF SECRETARY FOR IRELAND (Mr. J. MORLEY,) Newcastle-upon-TyneThe Local Government Board inform me that it is not clear to them to what cases the hon. Gentleman refers in the first paragraph of the question. Regarding the action of the Edenderry Board of Guardians in the case of Macnamara, I pointed out, in replying to a previous question on this subject on the 10th instant, that the course adopted by the Guardians was contrary to the spirit and intention of the Labourers' Act, and that the Local Government Board would so acquaint the Guardians. The Board, however, have no controlling power in connection with the selection of tenants 1261 for cottages under these Acts. I understand that at a meeting of the Guardians to be held to-morrow the Guardians will reconsider their determination to give the cottage in this particular case to the labourer who is at present in occupation.
§ MB. MACARTNEY (Antrim, S.)inquired if the Local Government Board in Ireland had any rule which enabled them to distinguish in their treatment between Nationalist and other Boards of Guardians?
§ MR. J. MORLEYreplied in the negative.